DOUBLE DIAMONDS - a new book about Australian Commandos during WWII

[Edward Willis]

The Australian War Memorial (AWM) has published a new book by Senior Historian in the Military History Section, Dr Karl James covering the history of the Australian commando units in the Pacific War 1941-45.  The concise text is well illustrated with photographs and art works from the AWM collections.  The 2/2 features especially in Chapter 2 covering ‘Timor and Wau’ while the striking cover photo displays four 2/2 men: Frank Thorpe, ‘Chook’ Fowler, Jack Prior and ‘Duck’ Watson.  The unit’s other campaigns in New Guinea and New Britain are summarised in later chapters in the book.  The book costs $39.99 and can be purchased at most bookshops or online ( https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/double-diamonds/ ).

Additional background relating to the book can be found on the AWM web site:

https://www.awm.gov.au/media/releases/backgrounder-double-diamonds/.

This new publication complements the re-issue Paul Cleary’s best-selling account of the Timor campaign ‘The men who came out of the ground’ by Hachette Australia.

Ed